summarize
by escapedreality
Summary: It's not until after that she realizes how life flies by. A bit of a Dominique character study.


**a/n: More Dominique 'cause she's fun to write. **

"I remember the start you can't recall."  
_Beautiful is Gone- The Ruse_

.: summarize :.

Life happens,

Kids grow up,

And it's a bumpy ride, not everyone comes out perfect.  
(besides, perfect is b o r i n g)

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It started simply, with a haircut. With a whoosh of scissors and red_red_ hair and pitch**black** locks floating freely to the floor.

She was five and so was Roxy and they blame it all on Victoire, who was three years older and a more mature eight so therefore, should having been paying closer attention. (but in Victoire's more mature eight year old mind she was far too old to be playing with _babies_.)

However, regardless of who was at fault the matter still was the same.

It was one of those famed Weasley-Potter-Scamander gatherings under the heat of the July sun. The adults found themselves shade in the backyard, under the protection of the Burrow. Seven of the young children however, found adult conversation incredibly boring and took their activities elsewhere leaving the five youngest behind.

The boys had wanted to start an impromptu game of Quidditch on the front lawn but lacking brooms, bludgers and a snitch they had amused themselves by playing keep away with the quaffle (Louis, Lysander and Lorcan versus Teddy and James because the L's have to stick together. Well, that and Teddy was older than them all by at least 4 years)

Victoire sat next to her younger sisters, impatient because the boys wouldn't stop being so rambunctious and her cousin and sister kept on _talking_.

"Go find something to do!" she snapped at the girls, whose heads shot up quickly and grins spread across their faces.

Inside the Burrow wasn't much cooler than outside but it was out of the sun at least. Roxanne and Dominique climbed up onto the counter, munching on peanuts that had been left on the counter. As she leaned over to throw her peanut shell into the barrel, Roxanne's eyes fell on a pair of scissors.

"Domi! Want to play haircut?" The redheaded girl scooted over to where her cousins was sitting, holding the gleaming metal aloft. So many possibilities.

"Sure, can I do you first?"

"'Course. Can you cut it to here?" she asked, indicating a place just below her ears. The other girl nodded and held the large scissors awkwardly in her hand, deciding where to make the first cut. She finally decided to go about it by sections and bit by bit cut the thick black hair until it formed a (semi) even line all the way around.

Roxanne's face lit up as she ran her hand over her newly cut hair. Taking the scissors from Dominique, she gathered the girl's thin red hair in her fist. "Where do you want it to?"

Dominique shut her eyes a moment, thinking. Then, "Wherever."

The five year olds heard their parents calling just as Roxanne snipped through the ponytail in her hand.

"Roxanne? Domin- Dominique!" Her mother stared at her daughter horrified. The girl's hair now rested at her chin a bit unevenly. The front was longer than the back because of how Roxanne had gone about cutting it. The part-veela turned her attention to the girl with the scissors, who also displayed a shoddy cut.

"Angelina!"

The girls got scolded as did Victoire ("Why weren't you paying attention?") and within no time Angelina had grown her daughter's hair out once again. But Fleur was having more trouble.

"No!"

"Dominique Marie cut out this foolishness now. Come here."

"No! Maman, I like it!" She was fearfully clutching her hands around her head. She looked up at her mother beseechingly. "Pleasee?" Fleur sighed heavily.

"If it makes you so happy." Dominique squealed and hugged her mum's legs.

And it did, it made her very happy. She vowed never to wear her hair long again.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She was nine when her sister came back from her first year at Hogwarts, more puffed up than before she had left.

It was summer again but there were more kids than four years previous. The day was significantly cooler due to the rain of the past week. The adults occupied themselves inside the Burrow, having no desire to sit on the wet grass.

Dominique and Roxanne (forever her partner in crime) walked outside with their drinks to watch Teddy Lupin zip around the Burrow on his broom, to the delight of everyone. Louis begged for a turn but Teddy declined when Lysander, Lorcan and James all wanted a spin too.

"Another time. How 'bout Quidditch though?"

Quidditch was more of an affair as they had gotten older. They'd all been to at least to one Canon's game (well, with the exception of Rose, Al, Lily and Hugo who were too young) at the urging of Ron who considered a lack of interest in the sport blasphemy.

Checking to make sure no adults were watching, Teddy pulled a old snitch out of his pocket. It flapped around weaker than one that was brand new, making it perfect for a running game.

The makeshift Quaffle was pulled out and teams made. Teddy and Louis, being the oldest were made captains and each got a Scamander apiece. James went with Louis and Lorcan and Fred with Teddy and Lysander.

Victoire had taken up her perch on the paving stones in order not to muddy her clothes. Molly and Lucy sat with her, wanting to impress their older cousin. Dominique however, knew her sister all too well and wasn't concerned about impressing her. Besides, she had other plans. Grabbing Roxanne's hand she dragged her across the field to the boys, ignoring her older sister's calls of 'you'll get all dirty!'

(as if it were some sort of crime)

"Teddy! Me and Rox wanna play too!"

"But you're girls!" James snorted, tossing the quaffle back and forth. Dominique gave him a glare that promptly shut his mouth.

"Aw but Dom, we don't wanna worry about you guys." Louis pleaded. Roxanne looked affronted,

"Then don't! We can play just as well as any of you." She folded her arms across her chest, giving her younger brother a significant look. Fred promptly spoke up.

"Let 'em play. It's not our fault if they get hurt." Murmured assent traveled amongst the boys.

"Okay, okay! Dom, you're with Louis' team and Roxanne you can come with me." Teddy ordered.

She could practically feel her sister's anger emanating from her place on the paving stone.

She was assigned to be a chaser with James who seemed intent on keeping her away from the quaffle. She ran alongside him as he tried repeatedly to get by Teddy.

(Making it by once but quickly being taken down by Lysander, who happened to be in the area searching for the snitch)

Louis called a timeout and her team huddled up.

"James, listen, you and Dom have to work together. Fred and Roxanne are. Got it?" James scowled but nodded at his older cousin and Dom could have kissed her brother.

Per Louis' orders, James started passing to her more and they evened the score up. The snitch was looking a hopeless prospect for the Scamander twins so the six other players kept scoring a priority.

She doesn't recall exactly how it happened. She caught James' pass and was near the hoop when she was taken out. She looked upward, her head spinning a bit, to see Teddy leaning over her grinning.

"Nothing gets by me Miss Dominique."

She snorted, "Except me the last three times." Teddy shrugged and got up, helping Dominique to her feet. Victoire had rushed over, much to her chagrin, and was eyeing her murderously.

"What?" Victoire gave a prolonged glance at Teddy before turning her attention to her younger sister.

"You- you are a mess! And you could have broken something! Teddy is a lot bigger than you, even James is-"

"By an inch. And he's a stick." Dominique deadpanned, ignoring James' protest.

"Whatever! You and Roxy should really cut it out. Go clean yourselves up. Maman will have a fit!" Roxanne opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it, grabbed Dominique's hand and pulled her toward the house.

"She's jealous." Roxanne whispered as they slipped by the adults, trying to keep the mud to a minimum.

"What? She hates mud."

"Really, Dom. You had Teddy Lupin leaning over you. Ten galleons she wished she had been playing." Roxanne said giggling uncontrollably. Dominique rolled her eyes.

"You've been listening to her too much."

The two girls didn't notice how loud they'd become until they saw who was leaning in the doorway.

"You two really are something."

Dominique looked up to see her father's scarred face grinning at her. She let out a sigh of relief, fearing it would me her mother instead. Roxanne had visibly relaxed as well, knowing they would be off the hook.

Roxanne's assumptions turned out to be correct, as Bill Weasley vanished the mud that coated the small hallways.

"How 'bout we just keep this between the three of us?" he suggested, checking over his shoulder for any sign of his wife. The girls nodded at him.

"Good, now go change and why don't you find a neater way to play with the boys?"

Dominique thinks this is why she loved her father in a way she could never love her sister and mother. He didn't care how she acted.

(within reason that is)

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She came home after her first year in a whirlwind and wanting to go back to Hogwarts, because the people understand her there (in Slytherin).

The summer is one of Slytherins, herself and Lysander. (well, and of course Roxanne because where would Dominique be without her?)

She had known Lysander practically since she was born but she hadn't really _known _him until first year. They were the two Slytherins who everyone thought wouldn't be Slytherins (and maybe more Dominique than Lysander but that's just a technicality really.)

Two months in and they were stuck at the hip. If one jumped the other followed, sometimes rashly (making their fellow housemates wonder how they weren't Gryffindors)

If they heard the doubts in didn't affect them in the least and they continued doing what they did best, calculated mayhem. By the end of the year any doubts had flew the minds of the Slytherins and they were very pleased to have the two best friends (especially Dominique, 'cause they now had their very own Weasley)

Dominique didn't speak to her sister much (at all) at school and nothing changed that summer. Her sister was convinced Dominique had skipped happily over to the dark side.

(and okay, so maybe she did)

Roxanne on the other hand, was thrilled to have her cousin back and though wary about Lysander, welcomed him into the fold.

The summer was one of the hottest on record, even hotter than the year they'd cut their hair. And the three of them certainly didn't appreciate being dragged through the immense crowds of Diagon Alley in it.

"Can we please get out of here?" Roxanne whispered to her cohorts, dropping her voice low enough as to avoid Victoire's attention.

"Why did you come if you knew it was going to be boring?" Dominique whispered back. Lysander and Roxanne exchanged glances.

"'Cause you're our friend and we wouldn't leave you to the horrors of shopping alone." Lysander replied smoothly. Dominique giggled softly.

"Well in that case, let's go."

As her mother disappeared into Madame Malkins the trio kept walking straight, eventually turning down a side street.

"Where are we?" Roxanne asked, voice echoing of the stone walls. Dominique shrugged and kept walking.

"Dom, I think this is Knockturn Alley. We really shouldn't be here." Lysander mumbled, Roxanne nodding her head in agreement. Dominique turned around, placing her hands on her hips (a move that, at 12, she had already perfected)

"You," she said, point at Roxanne, "are a Gryffindor and really should be showing more bravery right now. And you," she continued, turning her finger at Lysander, "should stop being a wimp."

Not wanting to seem afraid, Lysander and Roxanne continued following Dominique down the side street and into the dark Alley.

"This place is bizarre," Roxanne said as she watched as cloaked figures glanced at them in passing.

"Look! Borgin and Burkes!" Lysander said excitedly, pointing at the decrepit shop "I heard Bulstrode talking about it the other day."

"Care for a visit?"

They ran across the street to stare in the window, half-admiring, half-terrified of all the dark objects lining it. But in their wary admiration they didn't notice the man (thing, beast) that leaves the store and couldn't be more pleased to find them sitting on the stoop.

"Hello dearies," he rasped, his voice scratchy and utterly terrifying to the children, "What are there sweet, _delicious _Weasleys doing here?" He ran his tongue over his lips, leering at Roxanne who was the closest.

Lysander came to his senses first, realizing this was most definitely not someone friendly. He grabbed the two girls by their arms and pulled them close. The man's eyes glinted in wanting and that's when Lysander spoke.

"Run!"

They flew down the cobblestones, shoes clicking rapidly as the werewolf followed them in hot pursuit. Lysander skidded to a stop in front of a narrow alley that (hopefully) led back to the main street. Roxanne clambered in, shuffling sideways down it. Lysander followed behind her, pulling Dominique's hand. In their hurry however, something thin and wooden fell out of Dominique's robes.

"My wand!" she yelped, dashing back onto the dark street to pick it up, not thinking of the person after them.

"Dom!" Lysander squeezed back out onto the street behind her, grabbing her by the shoulder and yanking her roughly away from the werewolf. He swiped at her, latching onto the edge of her robes and tugged. She was backing up as much as she could but the older man held on too tight. Lysander's hand was digging into her collarbone as he gave her little body another yank. Her robes ripped and the two twelve year olds stumbled back into the narrow passage, leaving the werewolf behind and frustrated.

They slouched down, panting heavily and trembling.

"You are so stupid Dominique Weasley. We could have been hurt! Or killed!" Roxanne yelled at her cousin, who sat trembling with her face buried into Lysander's shoulder.

"Lay off Rox. I think she gets it." he snapped, lifting Dominique's head up, "Right?" She simply nodded, brushing her hand over her neck. Her hand came away bloody. Roxanne's eyes widened.

"Dom?" She wiped away the rest of the blood to reveal four little crescent moon shaped cuts on her collarbone. Lysander winced.

"Sorry Dom, that might have been my fault. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay," she whispered, greatly humbled for now, "Let's go find the others."

They eventually did find Fleur Weasley, who naturally ranted and scolded and didn't they realize how stupid that was?

Her mother eventually got over it but the little crescent moons would scar (partially due to her constant picking) and remain a constant reminder of her fit of idiocy that day.

(and on top of that, one of a certain Lysander Scamander)

.-.-.-.-.-.

It's funny how it can take only a year for things to change. She's still a Slytherin, slightly louder, slightly more sarcastic and she's still best friends with Roxanne and Lysander.

And oh yes, she still doesn't like her sister very much, actually, maybe even less than she did before. Because Victoire has _him_ and that ungrateful girl has no clue how lucky she is.

"You know this is going to accomplish nothing? He's infatuated with her. As are you with him.." Roxanne trails off one summer's night before their third year.

"You never know," Dominique whispers back, throwing her hands on the next part of the roof after a boost from Lysander. "Pass the stuff would you?"

Roxanne sighed and handed her cousin the bottle with the label from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Giving the darker girl a grin of appreciation, Dominique climbed through her sister's window.

"You know why she's doing this, so why are you helping her?" Roxanne asked Lysander as they sat waiting for red haired girl to reappear. Lysander scowled.

"'Course I know. It's been going on all summer and you don't think I'm aware? Me of all people! No Rox, I'm helping her because firstly she's my best friend,"

"How very Gryffindor of you."

"And you're being very Slytherin I might add. And second is that annoying Victoire is always a good excuse."

"I suppose," Roxanne conceded, glancing up again at the window. "How long is she supposed to have?"

"About five minutes, less if Victoire and/or him are coming." he sounded very bitter about the last part. Roxanne placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's a phase. Like I said before, Teddy Lupin is gorgeous and all but he's all eyes for Victoire."

"And little Lily," Lysander added prompting a giggle from his companion, "That girl barely lets the poor kid out of his sight. Victoire has more to fear from her than Dom."

"What was that Ly?" The boy in question jumped for he hadn't seen Dominique sneak up behind him. She threw her head back and laughed.

"C'mon, let's go. The deed is done and we can reap our reward at dinner."

As it happened, they saw the fruits of their labor before the table had even been set. Dominique had counted on her sister's vanity for the prank to be successful and it appeared Victoire was plenty vain.

A yell issued from the second to last floor of the expansive Burrow followed a string of curses audible from the ground floor.

"What could make her yell like that?" Molly Weasley wondered aloud, staring at the ceiling. Her reply was a very angry Victoire stampeding down the stairs, her hair a horrid shade of green.

"I've tried everything and it won't go away!" she wailed.

"It's just hair honey, it'll go away," Molly assured from her place in the kitchen.

"But it won't Grandma! I've tried everything! And what will Teddy think?"

"What will Teddy think about what?"

Dominique held her breath as he appeared in the doorway, all turquoise hair and hazel eyes. He looked Victoire up and down before letting a grin play across his face.

"I don't see the issue Vic, it's a perfectly natural shade to me." The turquoise disappeared and in its place was the same hideous shade of green that was on Victoire's head. Victoire laughed,

"You are really something else Teddy Lupin," she said, standing on her toes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

This was not supposed to happen.

Dominique tried to slip out of the kitchen without notice but naturally, that would be too easy.

"Dom! Haven't seen you in a while, what's going on?"

"Absolutely nothing Ted."

She left the house running, heart heavy with the fact that she may never live up to Victoire's standard and there was absolutely nothing, _nothing_ to be done about it.

She sat out in the open field behind her grandparent's house, the wind throwing her hair in her face. A pair of feet appeared beside her.

"Sisters are brats and boys are stupid."

"Ouch."

Lysander sat down beside her, staring into the distance like she was, but upon seeing nothing, directly his attention at doodling in the dirt.

"Am I a stupid boy too?"

Laughter was barely perceivable in her answer, "Nah you're alright."

"Am I alright enough to play Quidditch with? 'Cause you know half the team graduated and I'm thinking we're just what the team needs."

He handed her one of the brooms he had dragged along with him, "Plus, if you make it we can beat up on Teddy and the rest of the Gryffindors."

Dominique turned to face him for the first time since he arrived with a grin on her face.

(and it's almost funny how many more times these things would happen.)

"Definitely."

.-.-.-.-.-.

Her fond (or not so fond) memories of summers were interrupted by one particularly harsh winter in her fifth year.

The year Lysander and Molly became Lysander&Molly.

All of a sudden, her best friend was gone most of the time, gallivanting about the castle with his _girlfriend_. Roxanne of course was there, but between classes, quidditch practices and different houses they were no longer thick as thieves.

(Which confused Dominique quite a bit, because Lysander and Molly [never Lysander&Molly] should have had the same issues, with the added fact they were in different years)

And, out of what she considered necessity, she broke her childhood 'vow' and her hair was once again long because now Molly (precious little Molly) had cut her hair shortshortshort and wasn't it so cute?

There were two people she didn't want to be compared to. One, was her sister. Second, was Molly.

So she grew it out.

Still, she hoped the holidays would make things better, away from the castle.

Well wasn't that a stupid thing to hope for.

Sure, she supposed Christmas itself went well enough, having only to deal with Victoire (something she was well accustomed to) and receiving a brilliant new beater's bat from her parents.

However, it was New Year's and it was the Burrow that made her cross her arms so tightly that Roxanne joked, saying they would become stuck like that.

The house was filled to breaking point with Weasleys and Potters and Scamanders and Longbottoms. One would think though, that people had been separated for years. Victoire and Teddy had found themselves a secluded corner, Aunt Ginny was thrilled Uncle Harry had made it home safely from his latest mission and lastly, Lysander and Molly sat on the couch soclose to one another Dominique could have sworn it was the same person.

"I have to say though, I'm impressed."

Roxanne slapped James swiftly on the back of the head. Dominique simply frowned, going silent.

"James Potter she's your cousin!"

"I didn't mean like that, you sick woman. I meant that she has grown up on Victoire's arm pretty much from the moment she was born. She has to be a frigid ice queen right?"

"I suppose." Roxanne said sullenly

"See, your issue is that you can't admit you're wrong. Now, a guy appreciates that y'know. If you just admitted you were wrong one time I'm sure you would be snogging Wood instead of staring at him from across the common roo- OW! Oww! That hurts!" James whined, ducking to avoid a pinch from his cousin.

"You arse James Potter!"

"Ow! I was just trying to help! Merlin woman-" Dominique stood up, rolling her eyes at the pair of them.

"I'll just leave you two then."

She wandered away, through the immense amount of people in the living and pattered up the winding stairs as softly as she could (because she's not Lucy and Dominique and graceful just don't go together).

By the time she's reached the top of the house she's a bit out of breath because each step she took further away, the faster she went and when she reached the top she'd been sprinting and she thinks she deserves a rest.

(and oh, this pattern is becoming so familiar. Walk, run, stare and _breathe._)

She exits through a window in Uncle Ron's old room, now occupied by various Weasley and Potter cousins who need a place to sleep. She clambered back in quickly, underestimating the December chill. She grabbed various sweatshirts and hats and gloves and they all look a bit weird on her because they're too small. She shoved a large quilt out onto the rooftop in front of her, watching as the snow fellandfell until it hit the ground far below and puffed back up in a cloud of white.

It's cold, there's no denying, but she doesn't even care. She sits and stares (because that's her familiar remedy) wondering why the hell people need hormones.

"I thought I'd find you up here." Dominique turns around, surprised to see Teddy Lupin awkwardly trying to fit himself through the open window. Managing it (barely) he brushed the snow off the roof and sat down by Dominique.

"It's cold," she said flatly.

"Well spotted, Dom. If it's so cold out here then why are you out here?" He asked, tapping his wand against the roofing and causing sparks to fly up.

"I'm not col- I- Lysander," she finished lamely, unwilling to admit it but finding herself doing exactly that. Teddy gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure it's just a passing fancy. He'll come around. And I promise you'll survive."

Dominique looked up at him quickly, his eyes a deep brown and hair an impressive shade of Weasley red. A smile began playing at her lips.

"I know," a small snort of disbelief, "I got over you didn't I?"

"I assume that would explain the 'incident' in which Victoire's hair turned a putrid shade of green?" Dominique blushed, drawing circles in the snow.

"I was twelve!" she said defensively, red still blooming across her chilled face. Teddy let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back. He placed an arm around her shoulder,

"I was only kidding Dom. But you see my point right?"

"Yes," she conceded, rolling her eyes.

"Excellent. Then, will you please accompany me back inside where it's warm? Also, it's near midnight and what's a party without a couple Slytherins right?"

This elicited a fit of giggles from the girl, whose mind was immediatly drawn to memories of post-Quidditch victories.

"Everyone knows that I'm the life of the party Teddy, I'm world renowned."

Teddy stared at her a moment, taking in the long straight hair and the dark, sharp eyes lined by (slightly too) heavy makeup. Her rosy cheeks were freckle coated and her smirk was slowly crawling its way back across her face. He sighed softly to himself at how the little girl from his childhood was changing.

"I'm sure Dom, I'm sure."

.-.-.-.-.-.

Dominique Weasley was on top of the world.

It was early March and the quidditch game against Gryffindor had been brilliant, a victory that put Slytherin back on top. Also, seeing the smirk fall off James Potter's face was always worth it.

"Am I still invited to celebrate? You know I hate to miss a good party," he asked after the game as the two teams headed back into the school, coated in mud. Dominique laughed,

"Sure, but I can't guarantee what'll happen."

"I can, I mean let's look at the situation. An attractive young woman in her final year of school, who just, unfortunately, whooped Gryffindor's ass in Quidditch. And it's her birthday. Of course she'll get it-"

"James! You know that wasn't what I was talking about!" James grinned goofily,

"Who says I was talking about you?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows. She slapped the back of his head, turning to head toward the showers.

"Keep on dreaming Jamsie."

As it was, James was mostly right. It was her birthday and Gryffindor had indeed been whooped. And heavy hinting aside, a Slytherin party did always get wild, especially after Quidditch.

Roxanne was waiting for her cousin when she arrived freshly showered and went about shoving her into a tiny dress that the latter tried to protest, longing for her jeans and couldn't she just wear a nice shirt instead? The Gryffindor however, was all but offended at this suggestion and set about attacking her face with makeup.

"Dom, don't be silly. It's your _birthday_."

"I thought that generally meant my happiness came above all," she muttered, arms crossed.

"Generally. But today it means I make you look smoking hot and you go down and flaunt your winning attitude!" Dominique rolled her eyes,

"I'm not Victoire and this isn't a Quidditch match," she said sulking.

"I know that, if I thought you were Vic I would have had to shove a stick up your arse to complete the outfit," Roxanne said, making a face. Dominique laughed.

"Right then, let's party shall we?"

Downstairs, the dungeons were already full, though they were sans Lysander or Molly.

This was because Lysander had snuck off to Hogsmede, to pick something up and Molly had resorted to sulking in her own common room after a break up with the aforementioned boy.

Lysander found three things wrong with this, one being that _she_ broke up with _him_. Second, that it had been three months ago. Lastly, that he hadn't been all too upset about it, a realization which Roxanne responded to with an, "It's about time."

By the time Dominique had teetered her way down into the common room, the alcohol was flowing freely and her she was approached by many people wanting to wish her a good game. Across the room, Seth Pucey looked at the note in his hand, winced and then walked over to where the beater stood.

"Drink?" he offered. She took it gratefully, pouring half the glass quickly down her throat. She was no novice, but the first sip still made her shudder every time.

"That's a nice outfit you have going," he said. She tugged on her skirt, looking over the heads of everyone for Lysander (the only thing her heels were useful for at the moment).

"Yeah, yeah. Have you seen Ly?" she asked. Seth shook his head and shrugged,

"Not since the game. C'mon, I'm sure he'll find his way back to his own house; let's have some fun!"

By one thirty in the morning, she was completely wasted. Roxanne had simply laughed at her cousin, because Dominique made an interesting drunk to say the least. But little Lily had seen her earlier as she headed toward the boy's dormitory.

"Dom, aren't you going to wait for Ly?" Dom had laughed, patting the first year on the head.

"Lil, Ly isn't here! You're so silly. Go to bed okay?" she said, leaning heavily on Seth. Lily stared wide eyed, but listened to her older cousin.

Dominique lay sleeping on Seth's chest as he pulled out Molly's note. _Sleep with her, screw over her and Lysander and I'll pay you. The new broom will be yours. Love, Molly W._

He sighed, he needed the money but...

Quickly he wrote a reply. It was a lie of course, but he was a Slytherin and really, who was going know?

When Dominique woke up the next morning her head was pounding and she knew that she was most certainly not sleeping in her own bed. It smelled too- cinnamon-y. She trudged back to her dorm, through the catcalls of the other boys in the room. Her birthday hadn't exactly gone as planned.

On her bed, she founds two things. One was a small package with a tag. She opened the tag first-

_Dom, you seemed to be- preoccupied but Happy Birthday I suppose.  
From, Ly.  
Oh, if you want to take Seth out, I left the money in the package too._

That was the first thing wrong, Lysander never signed things 'from'. The second thing was an owl perched on the headboard with a note tied to it's leg. She untied the note but before she unrolled it, someone slapped her. She whirled around to face a very angry sixth year, Martha Jones, glaring at her.

"You whore! I asked for advice because I thought I could you know, trust the prefect. But no, you had to go fucking sleep with Pucey, didn't you?" Dominique stared at her, bewildered.

"I-" she was cut off by another slap.

"Bitch," the girl spat, storming out of the room. Dominique rubbed her cheek and unrolled the note.

_Whatever you hear going around, we didn't actually sleep together. I mean, we slept together but... oh, you know what I mean.  
It was a stupid bet, I didn't think anything would actually come out of it. I'm sorry!  
-Seth  
P.S. Really, sorry!_

Dominique sunk into the bed, reaching around for her stash of hangover potion. She held the notes in front of her in disbelief. It only took one night for the entire school to think her a slut and for Lysander to be all but ignoring her.

Dominique Weasley was on the bottom of the world.

Goddamn firewhiskey.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

There was a slight breeze coming off the lake and the shade of the tree made the unusually warm June weather bearable. Dominique was laying on her back looking up through the green of the tree.

Suddenly, a head popped out of the leaves and someone jumped down, landing far too close to her head for comfort. She sat up and scrambled back a bit, startled.

Lysander smiled and sat down next to her, leaning over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"That was unnecessary, Ly."

It had been three months since her birthday- issue. And while there was still a good sized group of people who thought she was a slut, Lysander had forgiven her (which was the important thing).

"It was totally necessary. whatt you're forgetting Dom is that we only have three days, _three_, until we're out of here for good! Which means, we need to get our act together and plan some brilliant trick for the end of year."

Dominique snorted, "I thought we were going to leave the pranks to James and Fred? They've been kind of taking over the spot."

"Yeah, but they still have time and let's face it- we were first! I mean, Teddy got up to a few shenanigans but he has nothing on us!"

Dominique grinned, "Well, in that case, we definitely need a legacy." Lysander nodded,

"Now you're talking."

Legacy comes on the day of their graduation, when the seventh years are all dressed in a similar manner to when they came to the school. Headmistress McGonagall had just begun her little farewell speech when it happened.

She had placed the Sorting Hat on a stool in the Great Hall, for it had some words for it's graduating students. But when it began talking, it wasn't warm words of goodbye.

The hat start cursing fluently and nonstop. McGonagall was beside herself and the teachers were torn between amusement and disapproval. The hat simply continued.

By this time, the seventh years were roaring in laughter at the turn of events, none more so than two Slytherins. The hat finished it's furious spiel and then, started rising. The old battered Sorting Hat, was flying.

Not only did it soar through the floating candles, tilting them precariously, it also began dropping little dungbombs (primarily near the teachers).

And it settled back down on the chair, the dungbombs stopped and so had the cussing. McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief, and went to pick up the misbehaving hat. But it had one more trick up it's sleeve.

She lifted the hat and out flew someone- or something, in a show of fireworks. And for some, the fireworks were far too familiar.

"Peeves!" she yelled as the poltergeist flew out of the room, cackling wildly. The fireworks kept going off around the hall. McGonagall sighed.

"Alright, alright! Best of luck to you all! Now out!"

Outside, Lysander slung an arm around his best friend, both of them giggling madly. Around them, their fellow Slytherins hoist them up onto their shoulders (because everyone _knows_ it was them).

James catches up with the crowd and gives them a thumbs up, Lysander shouts to him.

"Top that, James!" The sixth year takes the words to heart, already planning for the next year.

Minerva McGonagall watches from the door, shaking her head in slight disapproval but all the while, can't help from smiling. Professor Flitwick comes to stand beside her, watching the latest graduating class.

"It looks like another era of Weasley's has really begun," he says. The Headmistress smiles,

"Yes, yes it has."

.-.-.-.-.-.

It's the end of the beginning.

She's sitting atop the astronomy tower (because, as much as she loved being a Slytherin, the dungeons were dark) and swinging her legs over the battlements. She could see everything from here, from the early leavers dragging their trunks to those going a little later playing Quidditch on the pitch for the last time.

"Don't jump."

Dominique turned around, smiling at Roxanne and Lysander who had just finished climbing the stairs of the tower. Lysander appeared out of breath, as though he had chased Roxanne.

"Wasn't really planning on it. I do enjoy living, you know." she said. Roxanne rolled her eyes.

"You never did learn how to let a joke just go, did you?" Lysander answered for her, with a resounding 'no'. Him and Roxanne jumped onto the wall with Dominique.

"So, you ready for the real world?" she asked, quieter than normal, a bit overwhelmed as the realization that she had finished Hogwarts hit her.

"Sure, this place was getting a little routine anyway!" Roxanne exclaimed, clapping her hands together as if she had just finished a big clean up. Lysander laughed.

"I still can't believe you are going to work in the Ministry."

"Yeah well, I have connections. And the joke store vibe sounded fun but I'm not really a business woman. And you're one to talk, you're heading the same way!"

Lysander scoffed, "I'm attempting to be an Auror, that's not a desk job."

"Yeah, well, the key word there," Dominique broke in, "Is attempting." Lysander frowned as her cousin laughed.

"Well, you're doing the same, aren't you? _Attempting _to become a cursebreaker?"

"No, no. You see Ly," she said, slinging her arm around him, "I _am_a cursebreaker. Positive mindset is the right state of mind." Lysander muttered under his breath,

"Because you're so positive."

"What was that?"

Lysander was saved from an answer when James appeared at the top of the stairs, all but _yelling_ at the three of them.

"Hurry up! Do you want to miss the train? You are all so slo-" Unfortunately for James, he was cut off by a silencing spell curtesy of Roxanne who happily skipped after the now silent (and fuming) sixth year.

Dominique took one last look around the place, thinking she may have missed something. She saw nothing however, catching up with and hooking arms with her cousin and best friend (and, okay so maybe it was a _little_ more than what it had been seven years ago).

.-.-.-.-.

It's six months later and she's sitting in her apartment high above Calcutta when a fluffy spotted owl flies through her window. It's carrying a package and a small note. She opens the note first.

_Domi!  
__First, imagine that in a high pitched, squealing voice and you have my salutations!  
Second, hello from plain ol' boring England. I'm sure my new job is quite boring to  
gallivanting about India and maybe even Ly's is less exciting (well, technically he's only  
in training- so I suppose more interesting than that isn't too hard)_

_Other than enthusiastic greetings though, I wanted to send you these. They're from Erin's  
(you remember her right? Our year, Ravenclaw) photo taking frenzy that last day. I thought  
you'd appreciate them._

_Lots of love,  
Rox.  
(Ly says hello too!)_

Dominique laughs, all too easily being able to picture her enthusiastic cousin. She opens the package, finding a dozen odd photos in it, ranging from the bad (fly away hair and crossed eyes) to the last one, which she promises herself to put in her wallet to bring around everywhere.

Three Hogwarts students, two Slytherins and a Gryffindor, standing under their favorite tree by the lake. The boy's hat is threatening to fly away and the Gryffindor's curly hair keeps blowing in her face. Their arms are slung around each other while they laugh (and granted, perhaps the girls may be laughing at the boy, rather than with him). And when the wind blows and the redhead's hair moves, four crescent moons are visible on her collarbone.

She falls asleep that night, one hand resting lightly on the scars and the other clutching the photo to her chest.

And her dreams are filled with laughter.

fin.

**a/n: Finishing this was so difficult, as it has been my labor of love for months. I'm alright with the ending I suppose. Also, I was considering doing a (shorter) sequel type deal, post-Hogwarts. What do you think?**

**P.S. I feel a bit pompous putting this but if you are so inclined to favorite, please leave a review first?**


End file.
